Love Should Not Stay at Home

by Manuel A. Rodriguez II

As early as my childhood years I can say that I already earned my PhD in Television Watching. I really don’t know until now why during those days I was so fond of facing that magic box even after the cartoons. As a kid I already watch the news, I can say I already had an interest on current events as early as then.

Every election season I see creative political advertisements some of those ads is saw still plays on my memory until now. I hear how “politicos” say their promises via media, after their term I’ll hear grown-ups say “’di naman nya nagawa pangako nya, sayang boto ko.” As a kid I told myself, “isn’t it wrong to break promises? How come these influential individuals can do it as easy as that, why are they not being punished for breaking their promises?”

As I grow up I learned eventually in the school called life the sad fact that promises are meant to be broken.

Today, the society faces so many problems. We are all in a war now, not against nations but against the evils that surrounds us. I have an opinion that the source of this entire problem is simple, the absence of “love” for the Nation in the hearts of the Filipino people.

Saying the term “love” in the context of politics happens very rarely. There is a sociological stigma in the Philippines nowadays that the term “love” is so limited, we have boxed the term probably only in the realm of family, relationships and religion, it is very seldom that the term is used with regards to society, politics and government. That is a sad reality.

If we Filipinos acknowledge that love must and should be a part of the family, how come we neglect to apply it on our society? While we know the fact that the family is the basic unit of the nation, why then are we failing to apply the love as we know it on our society.

If there is one public health problem this nation is facing, it is not any disease or any sickness but it is the absence of love. It was already been proven by scientific studies that a pregnant woman giving birth at the delivery room will need less anesthesia when a love one is beside her, children lessen their probability of becoming drunkards or drug addicts when they regularly share dinner with their parents. We must accept the fact that love is a part of the human physiology, something that is innate in our being; a thing we cannot live without experiencing.

If only our government officers and employees will love the Nation, the Government and the people whom they are serving then the biggest public health I mentioned will be gone.

I believe one factor why love for the Nation is not rampant is because schools don’t teach it and religions rarely mention it on Sunday sermons. We only hear the topic of “loving the Nation” on campaign periods, but as we listen we are all aware that most of the words spoken by “trapos” are lies.

What must be done is to start it in our homes (oh yes, from the grassroots level). As families love each other at their respective homes, they must educate themselves that the love their sharing should not be exclusive. The Nation deserves love as well.

Our society needs love. Love for nation, for the people and for the Divine author of love. No other political platform can surpass love.

This is not a perfect Nation, but it is our only God given piece of land on this planet. We ought to love this Nation Pilipinas.

God bless the Filipino.


MANILA, 21st of NOVEMBER 2009